BJPsych Open
July 1, 2023
Muhammad Ishrat Husain, Nicole Ledwos, Elise Fellows et al.
41 citations
A proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial will test whether combining the psychedelic psilocybin with risperidone, a drug that blocks the serotonin 2A receptor, can block psilocybin's psychedelic effects while preserving its antidepressant action in adults with treatment-resistant depression. Sixty participants will be randomly assigned to receive psilocybin plus risperidone, psilocybin alone, or placebo plus risperidone, all with 12 hours of manualized psychotherapy. Feasibility and tolerability will be assessed through recruitment, retention, and adverse events. If successful, this approach could make psilocybin therapy more acceptable and accessible by eliminating the need for a psychedelic experience and continuous monitoring.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
September 26, 2023
Yi-Ting Chiu, Wei Wang, Pierre Llorach et al.
15 citations
preprint
Psychedelic drugs such as LSD and psilocybin show promise as treatments for depression, anxiety, PTSD, migraine, and cluster headaches by activating the 5-HT2A receptor (HTR2A). Researchers engineered several new mouse lines to study the role of HTR2A and the neurons that express it. One line allows visualization of the receptor and identification of HTR2A-containing cells, providing a detailed anatomical map. Another line has a humanized version of the receptor, and a third enables targeted genetic manipulation. The mice exhibited expected behavioral responses to psychedelics, confirming their usefulness. Electrophysiology showed that serotonin increases firing of specific pyramidal neurons through HTR2A, consistent with the receptor's location on the cell surface. These tools will help clarify how psychedelics work at molecular, cellular, and behavioral levels.
PloS one
January 1, 2025
Wei Wang, Dan Wang, Li Liu et al.
3 citations
Methamphetamine was the most consumed drug in four cities of Guangdong Province, with consumption ranging from 65 to 223 mg per 1000 inhabitants per day, followed by heroin (19-55 mg/1000 inh/d), codeine (7-20 mg/1000 inh/d), and ketamine (1-13 mg/1000 inh/d). Prevalence rates of methamphetamine, heroin, and ketamine across the cities were 0.149%-0.411%, 0.003%-0.019%, and 0.003%-0.196%, respectively. Between 2023 and 2024, heroin prevalence showed a downward trend, while methamphetamine and ketamine prevalence increased. Cocaine was detected in only two wastewater treatment plants, and MDMA in two separate plants. The analysis of wastewater samples from 67 treatment plants over one year identified six of ten monitored illicit drugs.
Psychology of sport and exercise
July 1, 2025
Wei Wang, Matthew J Schweickle, Karin Hägglund et al.
2 citations
Among 226 elite athletes, trait mindfulness predicts mental wellbeing through two parallel pathways: increased gratitude toward pleasant moments and greater self-compassion toward unpleasant moments. The mediation analysis controlled for age, gender, sport type, fitness status, and country of residence. Cultivating gratitude and self-compassion through mindfulness-based programs may help protect and promote athlete wellbeing.
International immunopharmacology
August 1, 2026
Jinghua Zhao, Ruxin Zhang, Jiarui Pan et al.
The ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK) reduces depression-like behavior in mice by suppressing neuroinflammation and neuronal pyroptosis. In experiments with male C57BL/6J mice and PC12 cells, HNK lowered expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, GSDMD, and interleukin-1β at both protein and mRNA levels, lessened neuronal injury, and reduced lactate dehydrogenase release. Transcriptomic analysis identified Vcam1 as a key differentially expressed gene. Overexpressing Vcam1 increased pyroptosis markers, while HNK reduced Vcam1 expression; knocking down Vcam1 had opposite effects. HNK thus attenuates LPS-induced pyroptosis and neuroinflammation partly by downregulating the Vcam1/caspase-1/IL-1β pathway, offering insights for depression treatment.